


What May Have Singlehandedly Been the Best First Date Genji Shimada Had Ever Gone On

by shittyninja



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Also a little violence because there's a fist fight., Also someone pukes? But it's not graphic., College AU, First Date, M/M, Theme park date, gratuitous fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 05:04:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9703979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shittyninja/pseuds/shittyninja
Summary: Dating was supposed to be EASY and FUN, just like how nervous people on first dates were supposed to bring other people to make the whole scenario more palatable.Of course, nobody knew that Genji was nervous about going on a date with Jesse, and he, the town’s notorious flirt and notable playboy, would never admit to it. Ever.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaptainMori](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=CaptainMori).



> Happy Valentines Day, @CaptainMori! I chose the prompt: “A casual clothes youngMcGenji date at a theme-park” :D I actually forgot to make it valentines-y, but I hope you like it anyways lmao. 
> 
> Just as a note, I basically wrote this in a college AU setting. Genji (along with Hana, Lucio, and Zenyatta whom I know are not all Genji’s age but shhh) are getting their undergrad degrees. Jesse (plus Hanzo, Fareeha, and Angela) are in grad school. I kept the canon age difference between Genji and Jesse - everyone else may be slightly adjusted for the sake of making this whole thing work out.

The whole endeavor had started casually enough - Genji, Jesse, and a group of their friends made plans to meet up at his place around 9 to drive out to the local theme park. On the agenda: hop on some rollercoasters, eat terrible greasy food, and loiter until someone kicked them out. Dating was supposed to be EASY and FUN, just like how nervous people on first dates were supposed to bring other people to make the whole scenario more palatable.

Of course, nobody _knew_ that Genji was nervous about going on a date with Jesse, and he, the town’s notorious flirt and notable playboy, would never admit to it. Ever.

 _Maybe that’s where the plan went wrong_ , Genji thought to himself as he scrutinized his reflection in the mirror, pressing back strands of his ridiculously green hair that weren’t even out of place to begin with until they were even less out of place.

Messages had started trickling into the group text as early as yesterday afternoon because his friends, the people he _trusted_ to have his back, cancelled on him, leaving him with only Hanzo.

> **(Yesterday, 3:36 PM) Angela’s Secret Girlcrush:** I’m going to have to cancel on the theme park. My mother is sick and I need to take care of her.
> 
> **(Yesterday, 3:36 PM) Angela “GENJI DON’T YOU DARE TELL FAREEHA” Ziegler:** Sorry, Genji :( Fareeha’s mother is sick and I want to help out.
> 
> **(Yesterday, 7:49 PM) Zen:** My brothers just informed me that I must attend an important event. Also, I am not actually a fan of carnival rides.
> 
> **(Today, 4:02 AM) that gremlin who lives in your pantry:** i just finished a 48 hour no-sleep stream so like fuck that have fun sucking face u guys xoxo
> 
> **(Today 8:17 AM) Lucio Ball:** I just remembered that my cousin’s soccer game is today - sorry, man but I’m gonna have to bail...

“Hanzo,” he called out of the bathroom as he swapped his earrings for the fifth time, “Brother are you ready to go?” The black studs ultimately looked better than the silver rings, he decided with finality.

He hears the door to his older brother’s room open. “Go where?” Hanzo calls back, sounding disgruntled.

“To the theme-”

“Oh. Yes that. I’m not going.”

“What?!” Genji slammed his hands down on the counter in shock. For the first time since his Hanzo had started graduate school, Genji had managed to convince his brother to go with him somewhere fun, and suddenly he didn’t want to go either? “Hanzo you HAVE to come. Otherwise it’ll just be me and Jesse! Isn’t he your friend anyways?”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t being alone together the point of a date? Anyways, he is my friend, and that’s why I don’t want to be subjected to watching you flirt with him. I’d rather transcribe this textbook on corporate law by hand three times over.”

“And you call me dramatic. C’mon, Hanzo,” Genji whined, shuffling out to his brother’s door and attempting to look pitiful despite knowing that it probably wouldn’t work.

Hanzo had a point after all: Genji had met Jesse Mccree when Hanzo had brought him to the Shimada estate for a group project in some class they had shared. Poor, unsuspecting Jesse was a target the moment Genji spotted him being uncouth and comfortable on the living room couch and poor, suspecting Hanzo was forced witness to every small nudge and subtle wink since. The flirting had gone on for over a year before culminating into this. It must have been exhausting.

Still, that wasn’t going to stop Genji from _trying_ to drag him out. “Be a good big brother, and not a stick in the mud that lives in the same house as me.”

Hanzo gave him A Look and said “This stick needs to study,” before kicking the door shut with finality.

Genji didn’t even have enough time to try and think of a response, because his phone jumps in his pocket. 

> **(Today, 8:57 AM) Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy ♥♥♥:** Waiting outside :)

He gave Hanzo’s closed door a kick to make himself feel better, and he’s pretty sure he hears Hanzo chuckle from inside. What a jerk. There is a possibility that Hanzo’s number will get anonymously distributed to several incredibly interested strangers later, buuut Genji would know nothing about that.

Ritually, Genji slid down the smooth, wooden railing to the ground floor, where he peeked at his reflection one last time before deciding that he’d spent enough time on his appearance in preparation. (Two hours was definitely sufficient, right? He wasn’t so sure).

Here went nothing.

Pulling the heavy front door open, Genji was greeted by butterflies that burst forward in his ribcage at the sight of Jesse. That wasn’t new at all; it had been happening for quite some time now, hence why they were going on a date today. Just the two of them. Oh boy.

Jesse looked good, as usual, all scruffy charm reflected in his relaxed posture and easy smile. It was clear that he had taken a little more care in his appearance today: his flannel shirt hung open over a t-shirt that looked new, and the jeans which Jesse had always called his “special occasion slacks” were rolled up over a pair of sneakers. Even the emblem on that ridiculous cowboy hat which Jesse always insisted on wearing looked like it had been gently polished, which pleased Genji in a way he couldn’t really describe.

“Hello handsome,” Genji says amicably as Jesse opens conversation with “Well you’re looking awfully fine today, Genji.” They both faltered as their words got tangled together, and then laughed at each others’ startled expression.

In a sweeping motion, Jesse gathers him up in an enthused hug. “You pull out some different earrings for me, pal? I’m flattered.”

“Anything for the man who wears his best pants for our first date,” Genji laughed again as he returned the hug. It was brief, but it was a lot like the feeling that he always got flopping onto his bed after a long day of hitting the books.

“So you noticed then!” Jesse slung his arm around Genji’s waist and started leading him down to the driveway, where his car was parked and waiting for them. “I do try and make a good impression when I’m taking gorgeous boys out for a good time.”

Genji snorted to hide his delight. “It’s too little, too late to get started, Jesse. Your impression was made when you drunkenly belched the entire ‘to be or not to be’ soliloquy at that pool party.”

Faltering as he unlocks the car, Jesse smacked himself on the forehead. “Aw hell. You still remember that?”

“Like I could ever forget,” Genji said with a grin as he slid into the passenger side.

* * *

The date ran pretty smoothly for a while after that; they bantered comfortably as they drove out, the radio quietly singing in the background as they laughed, told stories, and poked fun at each other. It was almost like he didn’t actually need his friends coming along. The positive atmosphere followed them through the parking lot, the ticket line, and all the way until they wove their way through the long line for the park’s most infamous roller coaster.

It wasn’t until they were properly strapped in that Genji noticed Jesse looking a shade greener than he had when they had been standing on solid ground.

“Jesse, are you okay?” he asked, concerned despite knowing that it was too late to stop the ride as the cart began rolling forward.

His date looked straight ahead of them, shoulders pulled tense and… was he sweating slightly? Veins stood out in his hands as they clutched his hat in his lap. “Huh? Oh yeah. I’m good. Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.” Jesse visibly swallowed as they hit the incline and began slowly inching their way up to the big drop, and Genji understood immediately.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you didn’t like rollercoasters?” He reached out and touched Jesse’s hand. The gesture was immediately welcomed, and Jesse grabbed his hand and held it as tightly as he could manage.

“Well. You just seemed so excited about getting on this thing last week. And I didn’t want to seem like a yellow-bellied weakling or nothing,” Jesse gritted out.

Genji sighed. Of COURSE he was concerned about his appearance at a time like this. He ran his thumb gently over Jesse’s knuckles as they reached the apex of the hill and Jesse looked like he was picking a god and praying. Nothing could be done now except to ride it out. Literally. “It’ll be over soon. Next time, just say you don’t want to get on.”

“You got it, partner. Definitely not doing this again.”

Jesse screamed louder than anyone else on the ride, and Genji felt bad for him.

* * *

While Jesse was hurling in the trash can after they had gotten off the ride (which, for the record, would still would have been a pretty good experience if Genji hadn’t almost nearly had his hand crushed in his date’s vice grip), Genji got a cold bottle of water from a nearby vending machine. The bottle sweated gently in the early afternoon heat, condensation beading up and running down the surface.

He returned to find Jesse sitting on a painted park bench, head between his knees and breathing in and out in measured puffs.

Genji sat down next to him, laying a gentle hand on his back and rubbing small, sympathetic circles. “Jesse? Are you still alive?”

“I dunno,” the man moaned softly. “Can a man live without his stomach? Because if not, I might’ve kicked it after that experience.”

They sat like that for a few moments. Genji didn’t know what to say. Eventually, Jesse managed to sit up on his own, Genji’s hand still on his back. “How in the hell do you find that fun?” he croaked.

“Well, you know, I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Water?” He pressed the cold bottle into Jesse’s hands.

“Thanks.” Snapping the cap open, Jesse tipped his drink back and drained it in under a minute. He gasped for breath as he crumpled the plastic and tossed it in the garbage. “Hoo boy I really needed that.”

Genji hummed in response, a little bit guilty about all of this.

“Uh. Listen, I’m all good now. Don’t think too hard about it. Was my fault and all, not telling you.” Jesse had clearly picked up on his mood, because the man reached back and pulled gently until he could hold Genji’s hand. “Do you wanna go do something else? There’s still plenty of daylight to burn, and lots of other things to do that won’t make me wanna heave.”

“I guess you’re right,” he said as he leaned his head on Jesse’s shoulder. “How about you choose this time? That way, we won’t have to worry about bruising your ego.”

Jesse immediately put him in a headlock and started to muss up his hair, making Genji yelp in playful indignation. “Hey now. I think the biggest danger to my ego is you, right about now, you little menace.”

Genji wriggled in Jesse’s grasp, laughing as he pulled his head from out of the bigger man’s grasp. “That was low. I know that you know how long I spend on my hair,” he protests as he tries to smooth it back into place.

“Yeah I do, but I know that YOU know I like you with or without your fancy mousse.” Jesse offers him that lopsided grin, and Genji’s heart does a backflip or two and sticks the landing.

* * *

“You want to play _carnival games_?” Genji says, several mild rides (and no nausea incidents) later. Jesse had suggested they move on to something else ‘to cool down from all the excitement and give our legs a stretch,’ and proceeded to take him to the park’s long row of colorfully tented stalls advertising ‘Five tosses for $10!” and “Win big! Win it all!” in large print.

“Absolutely.” Jesse nods like he’d planned to do this all along. “ Where else am I gonna get to blow an egregious amount of cash on some cheap stuffed animal for you to take home?” Then, he took out a small wad of tens and twenties from his pocket.

Yeah. He’d probably planned to do this all along.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a sentimental fool?” Genji’s voice was all fondness as Jesse rolled up his sleeves like he was about to get serious for the first time in his life.

“Oh yeah. Loads of times.”

Genji gave him a punch to the shoulder (though what he really wanted to do was kiss the corners of that silly mouth). “Well if it’s what you want to do, then I’m not going to stop you.” He tucks one hand into his pocket and gestures to the nearest games. “They’re rigged to be really hard though. You know that right?”

“Oh trust me I’m well aware. Still, I’ve gotta try.”

About five different games and a hefty amount of cash after that, Genji was pretty sure that no matter how hard Jesse tried - and despite the amount of personal gun handling training he did in his spare time - his date was not going to be able to pop that last balloon, topple that last can, or land three perfect bulls-eyes.

“And to think,” Jesse said, face pulled into a humored grimace as he watched his second attempt at the ring toss bounce away unsuccessfully. “I thought $40 dollars would be enough to win you something dinky.”

Poor guy. Genji checked Jesse gently with his hip and took the rings from him. Jesse let him, and that’s how he knows that his pride is bruised. Still, if there was anything that Genji had learned from spending roughly a third of his high school years at the local arcade, it was how to absolutely crush any game. He still held the high score on most of the machines there. “Here, let me show you how the big boys do it.”

“You about to make me look bad, sweetheart?”

“Absolutely. Try not to take it to heart, okay?” Genji patted Jesse’s cheek before turning back to the game.

The stall clerk had been sitting off to the side boredly on his phone, but looked up when he heard the distinct clinking of plastic ringing around bottle necks. Blearily, he inspected his charge, counting the rings. “Oh so three?” He addressed Jesse, who didn’t have the grace to not look shocked. “That means you win a medium prize. Just tell me what you want.”

“Good job, honey!” Genji laughed and wrapped an arm around Jesse’s waist, hand settling on his hip.

“How the hell… Don’t gimme that look, Genji. Turn around, you minx.” Jess put his hands on Genji’s shoulders and whirled him around, presumably so that he could pick a prize in secret. “Can I get that one- no no to the left. Yeah that guy. Thanks.”

Jesse shuffled a little behind Genji’s back, and Genji put his hands on his hips. “Can I look yet? You have me so curious here, Jesse.”

“Yeah yeah all right.”

Genji turned on his heel, only to have a floppy, soft mass pushed into his hands. Jesse’s cheeks were red with embarrassment and a little shame. Upon startled inspection, he realized that was a bright green dragon with a goofy-looking face. “I love it,” he said immediately, because he meant it.

“You won it, so I guess it doesn’t matter,” Jesse grumbled, though his demeanor did brighten a little.

Genji bundled his new fuzzy friend under his arm and reached out to tug Jesse a little closer by the lapels of his shirt. “It does matter, because you tried so hard to win it, and that means a lot. Also, I win everything.”

They were so close, and the way Jesse’s eyes twinkled as he listened to Genji made him want to lean in just a little further…

His stomach growled loudly, reminding them both of the time and cutting the moment short.

“Wanna get something to eat?” Jesse chuckled.

* * *

"I’m just not having a good day today, am I?”

“I would have to say no,” Genji agreed as he and Jesse stared at the ice cream which the taller man had just gracelessly dropped onto his special occassion jeans. They were sitting outside one of the theme park’s handfuls of fast food stops under the shade of the patio table’s striped umbrella. “You can share my milkshake with me?” he offered as Jesse grabbed a napkin and pushed most of the melting scoop off his leg. It fell to the warm concrete with a splat.

With a resigned sigh, Jesse stood himself up from his seat and swiped some crumbs from his shirt. “Guess I’m gonna have to. But first, excuse me while I go to the bathroom and clean this up a lil. Save some for me will you?”

“You’ll get whatever’s left by the time you get back.” Genji waved him off and Jesse called him a rude son of a gun as he walked off.

In the time that Jesse was gone, Genji decided to check his texts.

> **(Today, 11:07 AM) Angela “GENJI DON’T YOU DARE TELL FAREEHA” Ziegler:** How is your date going, Genji? Well, I hope?
> 
> **(Today, 11:49 AM) that gremlin who lives in your pantry:** if he doesnt respond by 12:30 hes either on his knees or maybe dead
> 
> **(Today, 11:52 AM) Angela “GENJI DON’T YOU DARE TELL FAREEHA” Ziegler:** Hana, please.
> 
> **(Today, 11:53 AM) that gremlin who lives in your pantry:** what im JUST saying
> 
> **(Today, 12:12 PM) You:** he won me a toy dragon sort of :)
> 
> **(Today 12:13 PM) Lucio Ball:** AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
> 
> **(Today 12:15 PM) Angela’s Secret Girlcrush:** That’s cute.
> 
> **(Today, 12:15 AM) Angela “GENJI DON’T YOU DARE TELL FAREEHA” Ziegler:** Send a photo!

Genji was in the middle of positioning his little plush for a mini shoot when someone slammed a hand down on the tabletop. He looked up to find some skeezy-looking guy in a scuffed up jacket glaring down his nose at him.

“I fucking knew it was you, Shimada,” the man growled.

Genji eyed him with a hollow, polite grin, and then eyed the little trio standing in a menacing manner behind him. He sort of hoped that the guy was planning to introduce himself or something, but it looked like the ball was in his court, so he just went with “I wish I could say the same, really.”

In hindsight, there weren’t many ways that the stranger, who was already pretty angry, could react to that in a way that didn’t involve furthered rage. “Stephen Lee?” he nearly yelled, gesturing to himself. When Genji didn’t respond he said “You hit on my girl at a frat party freshman year.”

Ah that was probably why Genji wasn’t able to remember him at all: not only was freshman year nearly three years ago (back when Genji still slept around like his dick would fall off if he stopped), but also there was no way Genji could possibly have ever given a shit about him, if he had even known him. Had this guy really held such a petty grudge for this long? That was impressive.

Still, he decided it would be best to get rid of these guys amicably, and before Jesse got back. “Oh yeah. I’m definitely _very_ sorry about all that. I had no idea at all she was yours.”

His half-hearted apology didn’t seem to help. The guy, Stephen, leaned in further so that Genji could just smell his cheap cologne and body odor. “Like hell you didn’t, you fucking bastard.”

The whole scenario was starting to agitate Genji, and his polite face faltered. Here he was, in the middle of a nice date with a nice guy, having his day ruined by a some loser who used too much $5 cologne and couldn’t let go of some girl who had every reason to leave him, by the looks of it. “I swear I didn’t. If I had, I would have asked her out instead to spare her the trouble of being with you.”

“Why you-!” Stephen hauled Genji into a standing position by the front of his shirt, face purpling with rage. With all his weight, he shoved Genji into his little hoard of cronies. Just out of Genji’s peripheral, other park-goers were starting to notice the aggravated scene unfolding. Concerned tittering passed around the crowd. “I’ll make you regret that, you piece of shit.”

Despite having his arms held like this was some horrible action movie, Genji was fully prepared to take the fist which Stephen was reeling back. However, he was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t have to because Jesse practically came flying in with a left hook of his own out of nowhere. The shock of the blow sent Genji’s attacker to the ground. A woman screamed.

With the practiced ease of someone who had spent years training in the martial arts, Genji wrenched his arms out of their hold and grabbed the nearest goon to throw over his hip and onto the table, which broke beneath the man’s weight with a crash.

The next few minutes became a blur of fists and frenzied shouting. Blows were exchanged, and Genji was almost certain that someone was pulling out a knife when the wail of park security sirens cut through the air. Immediately, Genji’s eyes found Jesse’s, who looked at him over the shoulder of the man whom he had in a headlock.

They came to the same conclusion at the same time.

Jesse threw his captive to the side, Genji grabbed his toy dragon, and the two of them booked it out of there. Weaving through the park’s crowds, they managed to grasp hands as they ran and ran and didn’t stop running until they were out the front gates, weaving through the parking lot, hopping into their ride, engine roaring to life as Jesse steered them away from already-distant safety officials.

When they were a safe enough distance away, Genji threw his head back and started laughing until his lungs felt like they would burst. Jesse joined him after a hot second, and they laughed all the way to the nearby gas station, where they had to stop to clean up.

The two of them looked like a pretty sorry pair walking into the combination mini-mart for gauze, tissues, antiseptic spray, and some ice, but the clerk didn’t ask any questions while they paid.

“Phew,” Jesse whistled as the two of them sat on the hood of Jesse’s car while Genji dabbed at the man’s split lip. There was a nasty bruise coloring his cheek, not to mention several on his chest; Genji was pretty beat up himself, but it was pretty likely that Stephen and his posse were much worse off. “Talk about a day, huh?”

“I know I said that I was an adrenaline junkie, but I think that may have been a little bit much,” Genji agreed.

“No kidding. Say, what’d you do to piss that guy off so bad, huh?”

“He said that I breathed in the general direction of his girlfriend a few years back.”

“Jesus. All right.” He lapsed into thought, brows knitting together ever so slightly.

“Is everything okay?”

“Hey, Genji, I think I’ve gotta come clean here, so uh-” Jesse scratched the back of his neck as he confessed “- I’m kind of regretting my choice to bribe the gang to hang back.”

At first, Genji didn’t understand. “...Sorry?”

“Listen, I was nervous, okay? I didn’t want to lose your attention or nothing while we were out today, so I made a group text without you in it and offered everyone five bucks each to cancel.” He spoke quickly, looking guilty like a dog who had just been caught digging holes in the garden. “Coulda really used the extra hands in that tussle though. Especially Hana and Fareeha’s.”

Suddenly, everything made a whole lot more sense. “Oh my god,” Genji said quietly. Then, looking at Jesse, who was staring down at his bruised knuckles, he said it again, but louder.

Jesse looked up, apology written all over his face. “Listen, I know I shouldn’t have done it, and I’m sorry, Genji. I really am. You probably woulda had a better time with them all coming too. Today’s chalked up to pretty damn awful as far as first dates go-”

Genji pressed a finger to Jesse’s lips to shush him, and then lowered his finger to lean in and kiss him. Sure, they were a little battered, down a couple twenties, and one of them had thrown up for five minutes in a trash can, but right then and right there under the midday sun with a bag of ice slowly melting at their feet, Genji had never wanted to kiss anyone more than he wanted to kiss Jesse.

The way their lips fit together was perfect.

When he finally pulled away, Jesse looked about as dazed as Genji was giddy. “I had a great time today, Jesse. Next time though, we should avoid getting into a fist fight.”

“Yeah okay. Sounds good to me.”

* * *

Jesse dropped Genji off at his house a few hours later, after they’d maybe made out in the back of the car for a bit. They kissed one more time on Genji’s front step before promising to text each other later that night.

Once Jesse’s car was out of sight, Genji went inside.

The first thing he did after climbing the stairs was make a beeline for Hanzo’s room, where he found his brother still poring over his books. It was likely that Hanzo hadn’t moved all day. Genji reached out and smacked him on the back of the head.

“Genji!” Hanzo shouted, turning. “What was th-! What happened to you?” His face shifted from irritated to concerned in record time.

“That was for being bought out for five bucks, big brother,” Genji said, a grin splitting his face.

Hanzo eyed his injuries warily before drawing the conclusion that Genji clearly had an eventful but not necessarily bad day, and deciding that he didn’t really need to know. “I take it your date went well then?”

“It may have singlehandedly been the best first date I’ve ever gone on.”


End file.
